Matthew's Bike Rides

Last week I took Matthew out to try riding a pedal bike for the first time.  He has good balance so we are trying to teach him without stabilisers.  He did very well.

Today we had another lesson.  This time Sophie came along to show him how to use the pedals and to operate the video camera.

 He's very keen and wanted to go try it on the bicycle path rather than the grass.

This video shows Matthew's first successful attempt.  He's a bit wobbly (although so is the video!) but you get the idea.

First ice cream of the year

Handprints (Sophie's on the right, mine on the left) 

Ice cream

Being giants

Here we are at Madurodam, our local model village.   It has trains. 

..... everywhere!

... and is great for pretending to be a giant.  NOTE: giants come in a variety of scales.

School Stuff

International Day at school.  Wish we had a national dress!

Sophie used her boinging talent as the fox in the school assembly production of 'the fox and the grapes'.

Sophie meets the Romans

Last weekend it was the beginning of half term so we visited Bath.  Sophie is studying the Romans at school and so she got to see some interesting stuff and we got to feel like the kind of parents who take their kids on educational tours.

Matthew balances scaled model of Sophie on his head outside Bath Abbey

This is how kids look when you drag them out of a big playpark on a sunny morning to see some famous architecture 

Afternoon tea at the Pump Room.  Tea, sandwich, scone, cake, cake and cake

Sophie makes a great tour guide at the Roman Baths.  Standing next to Julius Caesar's legs

Sophie, Hadrian and Bath Abbey

Listening to the audio guide

Sophie sketches Minerva.  She managed to follow the audio guide, make her own sketches and do the kids quiz on the way round

A happy Minx

A studious Minx

A Minx straddling a lead pipe

Video of Sophie trying the stinky spa water

Incognito in the restaurant

Ditto

Obligatory Santa preparation shot

I think this is probably about the 7th photo of a tray of mince pies, carrots and sherry on this blog.

New scooters

Look behind you

Being chased by a T. Rex

Feeling pleased with a plesiosaur

Look behind you!  Matthew does a very nice startled backpack impression

A day out at Manchester Science Museum.

Selfies at the Circus

25 December 0600 hrs

Two very excited children, possibly questioning the conventional wisdom that you have to be really well behaved to get such a large haul.